Elementary Goal Setting Strategies

Goal setting should be modeled and explained to students. Students must also be taught how to monitor their goals. Student goals should be “specific, proximal, and moderately challenging” (Johnson & Reid, 2011, p. 64).

  • Specific goals set clear objectives to determine when the goal is met.
  • Proximal goals can be met in a relatively short amount of time, which is crucial for students with ADHD.
  • Moderately challenging goals will challenge the student without the goal being too easy.

Goal setting can and should be incorporated into classroom assignments.

SMART Goals:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Actionable
  • Realistic
  • Timely